Siddharth

Siddharth Suryanarayan, known professionally as Siddharth, was born on April 17, 1979, into a Tamil-speaking family in Madras, present-day Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. His educational journey commenced at D.A.V. Boys Senior Secondary School in Madras, followed by Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in Delhi. He later pursued a Bachelor of Commerce (Honors) degree from Kirori Mal College, New Delhi, where he actively participated in extracurricular activities, notably serving as the president of the college’s debating society and representing his college at the World Debating Championships. Siddharth furthered his academic pursuits by completing his MBA from S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai, where he garnered acclaim by winning a speaking skills competition, earning him the prestigious CNBC Manager of the Year award in 1999. Despite his academic achievements, Siddharth harbored a passion for the arts, particularly cinema. His first brush with the media occurred in 1988 when he lent his voice for an advertisement for Banish mosquito repellent in eight different languages, following the advice of his father’s close friend, the renowned ad director and filmmaker, Jayendra Panchapakesan. From a young age, Siddharth was drawn to the world of filmmaking, expressing a keen interest in writing and directing. However, he pursued business studies as a precautionary measure, as per his father’s guidance. During his time in Delhi, Siddharth delved into amateur theatre, engaging in live stage performances with the theatre group Players, where he honed his skills in writing and directing. Despite his academic pursuits, his inclination towards the cinematic arts remained steadfast, eventually leading him to pursue a career in the film industry. Siddharth’s professional journey began with an apprenticeship under acclaimed filmmaker Mani Ratnam, after which he made his acting debut in S. Shankar’s “Boys” (2003). Subsequently, he garnered critical and commercial success in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema with notable films like “Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana” (2005), “Rang De Basanti” (2006), and “Bommarillu” (2006). His versatility and talent were further showcased in films such as “Striker” (2010) and “Anaganaga O Dheerudu” (2011). In addition to acting, Siddharth has explored various facets of filmmaking, including screenwriting, production, and playback singing, carving a multifaceted niche for himself in the Indian film industry.